Aluminum pack basket



Nov. 20, 1962 PINKHAM ETAL 3,064,867

ALUMINUM PACK BASKET Filed June 19, 1961 INVENTORS. Josem/ M KA /cars Dal/ems ,2. P/NKHAM A TTOBNEYS.

United States Patent ()fiice 3&5436'7 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,867 ALUMINUM PACK BASKET Douglas R. Pinkham, Clay St., and Joseph W. Knights, 22 Flemming St., both of Lincoln, Maine Filed June 19, 1961. Ser. No. 118,147 3 Qlaims. (Cl. 224-5) This invention relates to a pack basket, and more particularly to an aluminum pack backet.

A primary object of the invention i the provision of an improved aluminum pack basket to take the place of the conventionally known basket weave types which will be materially lighter in construction, which will be waterproof, insect proof, and vermin proof, which may be employed as a life preserver in the event of overturning of a boat, which may serve as a pail for the carrying of water for cooking, for extinguishing es, or other purposes, and which is provided with extensible or telescopic handles and load bars whereby the capacity of the basket may be materially increased.

further object of the invention is the provision of a basket of this character provided with a removable water tight aluminum lid which will protect the contents during wet weather.

Still other objects reside in the provision of a pack basket which is sturdy and durable in construction, light in weight, and simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one form of basket embodying features of the instant invention, portions thereof being shown in dotted lines in a different position of adjustment.

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational View of the basket of FIG. 1, with alternative positions of adjustment being indicated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan View of the lid for the basket taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the pack basket of the instant invention is generally indicated at and comprises an aluminum receptacle 11 which is formed in general conformity to the conventional basket weave type of pack baskets. The body 13; is solid, and has stamped thereon a representation of the conventional basket weave both for strengthening purposes, and to add to the ornamental efiect, as indicated at 12 in FIG. 1.

The basket is provided with a top annular rim 13, which is integral and which has adjacent the rear thereof a fiange 14 which is adapted to engage brackets 15 carried by a solid aluminum lid 16. The lid 16 includes a snap fastener catch 17 which engages under a corresponding flange 18 on the front edge of the basket so that the entire lid may be readily removed if necessary.

Two pairs of strap supporting loops 19 are positioned on the underside of the basket, together with corresponding strap supporting loops 20 positioned adjacent opposite sides of the front of the basket near the top. Similar loops 21 are also provided rearwardly of the basket and a pair of straps 22 are passed through all the loops, with the end of the strap 23 being reverted on the front of the basket and passed through a buckle 24. This buckle serves to permit adjustment of a shoulder loop 25 comprising an integral part of each strap, the shoulder loop being formed by securing the other end to an intermediate portion of the strap as by means of a stud or rivet 26.

Obviously, by extending or reducing the length of the end 23 the effective length of the straps may be varied so as to provide maximum comfort for the wearer.

A pair of load supporting bars 36 are slidably mounted in aluminum channels 31 on opposite sides of the front of the basket, and are each comprised of a pair of wires which pass on opposite sides of an intermediate stud 32 which extends through the basket adjacent the front straps 29. The rods are extensible to the dotted line position disclosed in FIGS. l and 2 and, when extended to this position, serve to increase the effective capacity of the basket. This is particularly true when taken in conjunction with the telescopic rear handle 35, which is of U-shape, and wire, and includes reverted end portions 36, which portions engage around studs 37 extended through the rear wall of the basket and affording stops. The handle may be normally employed in the full line position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or may be extended as shown in dotted lines to a height comparable to the height of the load bars 3%.

Obviously, in the use of the device the shoulder straps are suitably adjusted to the person of the wearer, and, in accordance with the load to be carried, the supporting bars 30 and the handle 35 are either extended or retracted. When the handle and load bars are in retracted position the aluminum lid 16 may be placed over the pack basket as a cover, and, when the basket is empty, due to its air tight construction, it may serve as a bucket for the carrying of water, or alternatively, as a life preserver in the event that the boat in which it may be being carried is overturned.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved pack basket, which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A water tight pack basket comprised of sheet aluminum, said basket having front, rear and side walls and a bottom wall, the upper end of said basket being open, a solid aluminum cover removably closing the open upper end of said basket, a pair of carrying straps each fixed at one end to the rear wall of said basket in aligned relation, pairs of spaced aligned strap supporting loops fixed to the rear, bottom and front walls of said basket, the free ends of said carrying straps reverted and extending through said strap supporting loops to form shoulder loops, the other end of said straps being affixed to said front wall, a pair of vertically extending channels fixed to the front wall of said basket in spaced relation, an extensible load supporting bar slidably mounted in each of said channels, a vertically extending telescopic handle slidably mounted adjacent the rear wall of said basket, and stop means afied to said rear wall engaging said handle at an extended position.

2. A water tight pack basket as defined in claim 1 wherein said extensible load supporting bars each comprise pairs of Wires.

3. A water tight pack basket as defined in claim 1 wherein said telescopic handle is a generally U-shaped wire member having reverted end positions, studs extending through the rear wall of said basket into the interior thereof defining said stop means around which the reverted end portions of said handle engage.

References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Aug. 16, 1938 

